Moving On
by superwhomerlock-kid
Summary: Five years after the the greatest war Wizardkind has ever seen, Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley are just beginning to live a normal life, for what feels like the first time. Fluff and more fluff (rated M, but i doubt it will be too strong..)
1. Chapter 1

**Hello lovely readers! I know it's been a long time since i've posted anything here, and I am really sorry! I've been super busy with school and stuff, and, to be honest, I sort of lost interest in my other stories, and I'm not entirely sure where they were going, so I cut them off. But I am back, and better than ever! (I hope) **

**I have had this fic in my head for years (literally: think 2011) and I finally have the whole plot lined out in my head, and most of the kinks worked out, which is awesome, so hopefully I don't end up giving up like I usually do. I hope you will all stick with me for the rest of this story, right?**

_**Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. Obviously. **_

* * *

It was just your average Spring day at the Weasley residence. The late afternoon sun streamed in the Kitchen window, and obscured most of Ginny's vision. She saw Harry, sitting at the table, framed in golden sunlight as she walked in, and her heart swelled. He looked up from his copy of the Daily Prophet, which he had been poring over, and she could tell that her own emotions were mirrored on his face. When she sat next to him, he kissed her softly, lips lingering softly over her own. Suddenly, a shadow moved across the window, blocking some of the sunshine. They turned and saw several dark-cloaked figures who had appeared just outside. Harry rose to his feet, and grabbing his wand, ran outside to the figures.

Quickly, Ginny ran outside after him, wand at the ready. She began firing hexes, curses, even a few charms, doing everything she could to try and drive these wizards who were obviously not friendly away from her home. But she was too late. There were so many of them, and they had caught them unprepared. Harry was disarmed, held between two of the biggest of the group. His glasses were askew and he looked at her with such unabashed love and protectiveness that she felt she would do anything to help him get out of this trap.

She looked him straight in the eye with a promise that she would help, and was struck at once with the usual breathlessness that came every time she took in how brilliantly green they were. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw one of the Death Eaters, for of course that's who these cloaked monsters were, raise his wand. It pointed straight at Harry, and before she could do anything, the green light was coming from somewhere other than those eyes which had been staring into hers. It spread and spread until all she could see was Green. She was blinded, trapped. Everywhere she looked there was green, and she couldn't escape it.

And then it was over.

She blinked, and realised that she was still sitting at the table in the Burrow's kitchen, the coffee which she held in her hands growing colder by the minute. It had just been a nightmare. She had to remind herself quite often, even now that the war which had taken up so much of her childhood was over. They were free. She shook herself slightly and was surprised to hear movement in the doorway. She was sure everyone else would still be asleep, but when she looked at the door, she found herself sighing in relief. It was just Harry. She laughed silently, because it would never be, had never been, "just Harry".

Ever since she had been a girl of ten, seeing her closest brother off to school for the first time, and seen him standing there, nervous and alone, she had felt a sort of pull towards him. He was_ Her Harry_, and she was sure in her heart that nothing would ever change that.

He walked in, running a hand though his hair absentmindedly, as though trying (and failing) to make it sit straight. He put his arms around her from behind and pressed a gentle kiss to the point just at her jawline. It has taken a while, over a year in fact, for them to build up a proper relationship since the war had ended. Many wounds were still raw, even now, and back then they had had to spend far more time working to heal themselves, so that they couldn't invest in each other fully. But they had done it, and now they were just like any other couple in their early twenties, just happy to be together, in love, and not worrying about anything to do with war and despair. (Well, not quite, but they were close enough to be happy, anyway)

She still wasn't quite used to the fact that she was, for all intents and purposes, living with Harry. They may be staying in her parent's house, but they shared a room, and a bed (though her mother didn't need to know the exact details...) Ron and Hermione were in a similar situation to them, and the two couples had the house to themselves, at least for the last week. Molly and Arthur had gone to London to visit George, and his wife Angelina. They had been married for several months now, and had just announced the previous week that they were expecting a baby.

However the baby was not the main reason for this visit. It had been George's birthday yesterday, and he always felt rather melancholy at this time of year, the wounds caused by his twin's death still feeling raw. Ginny herself was barely able to think of his name, without feeling close to tears. 'Fred, she told herself. You have to say it. You can't just block it out.' She could scarcely imagine what horrors the twin who had been left behind must feel, especially having to celebrate his birthday without the one person he had known best, had loved most. He needed his parents around at this time of year, even with Angelina there. He would never admit it, but he did.

Harry seemed to know without asking that she had had another dream, and he comforted her silently, before changing to a much cheerier topic, though Ginny's nerves remained, for quite a different reason. Today, she would be starting trials for the Quidditch team she had supported ever since she was five years old, chasing after her brothers who wouldn't ever let her get a hold of the Quaffle when she took to the sky on the ancient, too-big broomstick which had been bought for her older brother Percy (though why anyone had thought Percy would ever use a broom of his own was beyond even her imagination)

They talked about this for several minutes, laughing at the thought of Percy on a Quidditch field, and discussing possible tactics she should use to astound her captain, until suddenly they heard the clock chiming.

"I'm late! Damn it I'm late for my first tryout! I am so dead!" She panicked, transfiguring her pyjamas quickly into quidditch robes, and kissing Harry fleetingly on the cheek before disapparating to the field where she was supposed to have been five minutes ago.

The last thing she heard was Harry shouting "You can do it Gin! I love you!" Into what had almost been nothing but thin air as she twisted and departed for the cold, muddy pitch. Ginny couldn't bring herself to be anything but calm, determined and ecstatically happy, even when the captain was yelling at her for every slightest mistake, and women older and more experienced at professional Quidditch jostled her from either side, because no matter how long she was with Harry, She knew she would never tire of hearing him say those words to her.

* * *

Several hours later, Ginny trudged back into the Burrow, and found Harry in a large armchair by the fire in the sitting room. She was covered in mud from head to toe, and her hair hung in curtains over her face. Harry sat up straight as soon as he saw her, and immediately tried to decipher how it had gone. Her posture was giving nothing away, so he ventured a question. "How was today?" He asked, gently, wondering if she was alright. She did seem unnaturally quiet, and he was beginning to worry.

She simply shrugged, biting her lower lip, as though trying to hold back some overwhelming emotion. His heart sank at the sight of her looking so forlorn, and he tried to comfort her. "Don't get too upset, it was only your first tryout ... There are other teams, right?"

Suddenly, Ginny let out what could have been a snort. Harry's brow furrowed in confusion, until she said, indignantly, "What do you mean 'other teams'? Why on Earth would I go to another team when the Harpies have taken me into the second round of tryouts?!" It took a moment for the news to sink in, but soon enough, Harry was on his feet, grabbing her into an almost bone-crushing hug, though, thankfully, it was not quite of Hagrid-esque proportions.

He danced her around the room, singing her praises and reflecting that any team would be stupid to turn down such talent as hers. Soon enough, they were both exhausted and laughing happily as they collapsed together onto the armchair, kissing and feeling nothing but joy and love in the moment.

* * *

They didn't wake until the next morning, when they heard a sharp knocking on the door. Ginny jumped up immediately, realising that she was still in yesterday's Quidditch robes and hitting Harry in the arm to wake him up. ""Harry! Answer the door! I think it's 'Dromeda with Teddy! I need to have a wash, I'm still filthy from yesterday." She rushed up the stairs, not even bothering to check how clean Harry was, for, she realised, her own muddy robes had been pressed up against his clothes all night, and he was likely to be almost as dishevelled as she was. But at least he wasn't wearing Quidditch robes.

She ran a bath for herself, pulled off the old robes, and lowered herself into the warm, soapy water. Her limbs were quite stiff, and she berated herself silently for not bothering to warm herself up after training, though she couldn't quite bring herself to regret the previous night. She allowed herself to relax, smiling at the noises from downstairs. Harry was obviously listening to Teddy recounting one of his latest adventures, and she found herself reflecting on how wonderful Harry was with Teddy, and with Bill's girls. She silently wondered if there was anything about him that wasn't completely perfect...

Harry was sitting in the kitchen, talking to Andromeda about how Teddy should begin showing signs of magic pretty soon, and how exciting it was to be for the family. He seemed to have settled on a bluey purple coloured haircut today, but god only knew what it would be next week. He really was just like his mother, that boy. The toy broomstick the five-year-old had been zipping around the kitchen in had been Harry's gift to him for his first birthday. There was a bang from whichever corner Teddy had managed to fly himself into, followed immediately by a loud cry. Harry immediately rushed over to him, healing the cut, and handed the boy a chocolate frog from the cupboard.

Ginny walked into the room just as Harry was sitting back down, and she giggled at the sight of the chocolate covered fingerprints on Harry's back. Teddy seemed to have grown unnaturally quiet, staring at the card held in his hands.

"Uncle Harry! Uncle Harry! That's YOU!" He shouted excitedly, pointing at the picture of on the card he held in his hand, which was, indeed, of "The Boy Who Lived-Harry Potter". The miniature Harry sat in the picture, adjusting his glasses, and looking vaguely embarrassed. A similar expression could be seen on the features of the full sized, grown up Harry who sat in the kitchen.

Harry smiled, suddenly looking distant. "Yes, Teddy. That's me! Ron and Hermione have their own cards too, did you know? A long time ago, when you were just a tiny baby, there was a very bad man, and we all had to work together to make sure he didn't hurt anyone ever again."

Ginny looked at Harry with wonder. He hardly ever spoke of the war, and even this little snippet was a lot, coming from him. Unfortunately, the moment was broken by another knock at the door, and the sound of a baby crying.

"It must be Bill and Fleur with the girls!" Exclaimed Ginny, hastily wiping her eyes of the tears which had started to build up unknown to her while watching the little exchange.

Ginny went to open the door, giving Harry a moment to compose himself before they came in. Fleur was holding Dominique, looking completely worn out, and Bill was trying to stop Victoire from playing "dollies" with the garden gnomes. Ginny immediately took Dominique from Fleur, and Harry helped Bill get Victoire inside.

Harry watched Ginny rocking Dominique. She seemed to have a knack for that sort of thing. She was usually one of the only people who could get Dominique to stop crying. Harry began to wonder about whether one day the baby in Ginny's arms would have jet black hair, or emerald eyes, hoping for it's own sake that it would have inherited her eyes though, not just because they were beautiful, but who would want their child to have such dreadful eyesight as his? He knew that if that day ever came Ginny would be absolutely fantastic, after all, she learned from the best. He just wasn't sure if he would be able to take on that role. After all, he had never really had someone to learn it from. Well, no-one who was there for longer than two years anyway...

Harry realised he was suddenly quite close to tears, so he forced himself to stop thinking along this path. He looked at Teddy and Victoire playing together instead. He smiled to himself as Teddy helped Victoire up onto his broom, saying, "You have to be very careful you know, a'cause it's easy to fall off and hurt yourself! And you need to be extra careful because pretty girls can hurt themselves worser than big boys like me!"

Just then, there was a sound on the stairs, and Ron and Hermione walked in, wearing dressing gowns and slippers. They were whispering to each other, but as soon as they got to the doorway, and saw the crowd in there, they stopped. Hermione turned bright pink and ran back up the stairs, and Ron's ears turned red, as he grinned sheepishly at Harry, who rolled his eyes.

Hermione came back down, fully dressed, after five minutes of awkward silence, broken only by the sounds of Teddy and Victoire playing, and Dominique sleeping, still in Ginny's arms. Hermione flicked her wand, and the kettle began to boil. Another flick, and the tea was pouring itself out into seven different cups. Harry took his gratefully, and as he drank, his mind wandered over to the first time he had stayed at the burrow, and he smiled at the memory, wondering over how much had changed since then.

Ginny looked curiously at Harry. He really was acting quite strange. She could have sworn that he was looking at her tearfully a few moments ago, and not the usual, post-war depression either. But now he was grinning while staring at the butter dish. He looked up and smiled softly at her, and she remembered all those years ago, when Harry had first visited the Burrow, and she had been so awestruck by him that she had put her elbow in the butter dish. It made her blush to think of how incredibly starstruck she had been, that year, and she was touched that Harry seemed to have remembered such a small detail, from so long ago.

Hermione had noticed this exchange and smiled. She had an inkling that something big was going to happen between Harry and Ginny, and soon. The visitors all left at around two o clock, leaving them with less than two hours before Molly and Arthur returned home. They looked around at the kitchen, and Ron visibly paled. There was a lot of cleaning to do around here.


	2. Chapter 2

**Yay for another chapter! (Finally! I know, I suck... I swear I have a good excuse, but I'm not even going to bother because it won't change the fact that it has been two whole weeks since i last updated and I swore I would never do that with this story...) So anyhoo, I swear that from now on I will update either every Wednesday or Saturday, once I figure out which is better for getting stuff written by... We shall see... **

**I'm aware there was a little confusion/mistake in the previous chapter, but I fixed it! Feel free to go back and read it over, but it's not anything major. Also please never hesitate to point out any errors/goofs in my writing, because I have no official beta, so all double-checking is down to little old me.. /tear/**

**Disclaimer: blah, blah, blah, I don't own Harry Potter or any of these characters, blah, blah, blah**

* * *

Ginny Sat at the kitchen table with Hermione. It was late in the evening, and Molly and Arthur had retreated up to their bedroom to relax after a day of travelling. Their trip had been quite difficult for the most part, though they found it was wonderful to spend time with George and Angelina, and Molly admitted her delight at being able to pop into Madam Malkin's and Flourish and Blotts as often as she pleased. Several years may have passed since George's twin had passed, but the wound had never healed, and it was especially painful every April first, when George was forced to go through his birthday alone. It had been, admittedly, ever so slightly better in the last two years, since Angelina had come back into his life, and helped him to appreciate the loving family he still had, back at the burrow.

Harry and Ron sat out in the garden, talking about who knows what. They were both laughing, and that was all that really mattered to Ginny, because no matter how long it had been since the end of the war, it was still a relief every time Harry opened himself up and acted, well, like a normal man in his early twenties, rather than a seventeen year old boy with the weight of the world on his shoulders – quite literally. It may have been five years ago that Harry had been freed of his burden, but he had only seemed to realise that in the last few months. He had toiled away, helping the aurors capture and arrest Death Eaters, doing what he could to restore Hogwarts to her former glory, and trying to comfort everyone who had suffered during the war.

That man's heart was too big for his own good- And Ginny loved him all the more for it. Even if it meant that she had had to wait a few more years for him to be hers entirely, it had been worth it. He had even asked her if she would like to move in with him, to his flat in Diagon Alley (which he had previously shared with Ron, but, well... Hermione's frequent visits had led to the two getting their own place, which happened to be just across the hall), once her parents had settled back in at home. She smiled as she remembered the faint pinkness in his cheeks, and how he seemed to be more nervous than she was about what Molly would say about the matter. She had had no such misgivings, as she knew, or rather, hoped, that her parents would be simply overjoyed that Harry was finally taking larger steps toward a normal life.

She snapped out of her reverie as the door opened, and the boys were standing in the kitchen, looking as though they were going somewhere. She didn't need to wonder though, as Ron said "We're off to the pub for a bit, fancy a night out, you know?" He paused, ears turning red. "Not- not that I don't want to spend time with you!" He stammered, "It's just... Um... Well..."

Hermione laughed at his discomfort and hit him playfully on the arm. "It's fine, silly, go off and have your boys night! Ginny and I have some very serious matters to discuss, anyway." Her face was deadly serious, and Ginny wracked her brains to figure out what this oh-so-important conversation could entail.

She caught Harry's eye, who simply shrugged, apparently not knowing what she was referring to either. Ron was too flustered, and relieved that he had gotten away with accidentally possibly offending Hermione, to care much about what she had said, and so he grabbed Harry's sleeve, pulling him out the door and waving a quick goodbye, before disapparating for the Leaky Cauldron.

Ginny looked at Hermione inquisitively. "I really hope this conversation isn't going to be too serious... I had been quite enjoying myself, you know..." She said, noting the look on Hermione's face, which was really quite inscrutable.

"You know... I don't recall _ever_ having a proper girly chat" Blurted Hermione, taking Ginny entirely by surprise. "Harry and Ron were my best friends, and I can't quite imagine them talking about that stuff, can you? Of course, Lavender and Parvati were constantly at it, but it isn't like I had much gossip of my own to contribute back then..." Ginny blinked. Whatever she had been expecting, it was clear that this definitely not at the top of her list of suspicions.

However, she quickly broke into a grin, and, grabbing her best friend by the hand, pulled her up to her childhood bedroom, where she pulled out all sorts of muggle magazines and beauty products, many of which looked more like instruments of torture in Hermione's eyes, despite her being the one who had been raised with muggles. "Well then, if this is your first ever girly chat, we had better do it properly, hadn't we!" She said, with a grin.

Hermione eyed the pile dubiously, as Ginny tried to decide which tool to use first to attempt to tame the older girl's hair. She had just picked up a brush, and was about to start tackling the curls, when Hermione spotted one of the muggle magazine lying under the pile, and sensed her last chance of escaping without the pain of a makeover, which she had thankfully managed to avoid in school by a combination of hiding behind the curtains of her four-poster, and burying her head in some text book or another. "WAIT! How about we quiz each other instead?"

Ginny's face lit up. "I have had that magazine for years! Bill got it for me one time as a joke, but I have never had anyone to actually do the quizzes with before!" She picked up the magazine enthusiastically and flicked to a page. "This one!" She burst out when she found it. "You know, something tells me Bill never actually read what was in this before giving it to me..." She giggled, scanning the questions. The heading read "What kind of relationship are you in?" Both girls looked at each other and grinned, thinking together that this was going to be an interesting night.

* * *

Ron sat down heavily on one of the bar stools, ordering a butterbeer each for himself and Harry. He liked to start out light, just in case there was an emergency and they were forced to act quickly. It was strange how even drinking patterns seemed to be affected when one had fought in a war such as the one they had won together. He smiled sadly as he remembered the words that had been engraved in his mind at the age of just fourteen.

"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"

A smile spread across his face as he imagined what Mad-Eye would think if he saw just how vigilant they all were, even without the threat of half the wizarding world wanting to murder them on sight.

He carried the drinks back to Harry, who grinned and accepted his as soon as it was put on the table. "Cheers, mate!" The two sat in companionable silence for a moment or two, simply drinking their butterbeers, before Harry said "So what was that all about then? With Hermione and Ginny?" Ron shrugged, shaking his head.

"Merlin only knows. I don't think I'll ever understand their cryptic hidden conversations, or whatever it is they do when we aren't around. Not fully sure if I want to, either, for that matter..." Harry laughed along with his friend as they discussed the trials of trying to navigate a relationship."

"Worth it, though..." Mumbled Harry, mostly to himself, and Ron couldn't help but agree. He knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Hermione, and though it was unspoken between them, he knew that she felt the same. He was so lost in his own thoughts, that he almost didn't hear what Harry said next.

"I think I want to marry her." Harry himself seemed surprised by what he had said, but Ron noticed that he wasn't trying to take it back. He really meant it, and Ron was shocked to realise just how little he himself minded. Of course, when he first found out that his best friend had entirely not-older-brotherly feelings for his sister, he had had his misgivings, but over the years he came to realise that what the two shared was something sacred, beautiful and pure. It reminded him of his own relationship, in that aspect, he mused.

* * *

"Question nine. How far have you gone with your other half? A: Hand holding, B: Snogging, C: Below the waist activity, or, D: The Full Monty" Ginny was reading aloud from the magazine, trying to keep herself from bursting into laughter. A single glance at Hermione's face as she read those last words, however, sent her over the edge. Hermione was bright pink, and rocking with silent laughter. Both girls let out a squeak of laughter, which was shortly followed by them both rolling around on the bed shrieking with laughter for at least ten minutes, as though they were still in fifth year and giggling over their first kisses. Not for the first time, Hermione found herself wishing that Ginny had been in her year in school. It would have been so nice to have a friend like this to share a dormitory with.

They had finished several quizzes, and Hermione had even consented to let Ginny do her hair up for her. With several bottles of Sleekezy's hair potion, and a clever trick with her wand, Hermione was surprised to find that her hair looked entirely passable, and not at all unlike the muggle girl who was pouting on the cover of the magazine. (She wasn't entirely sure whether that comparison made her happy or not, though she supposed she couldn't deny that it was wonderful to feel the sleek waves along her cheeks.)

They were both still laughing at the question (not that it was the worst of the night, by far), when a sudden bang of the bedroom door opening forced them to look up, only to see Ron standing at the door, his mouth wide open in shock and looking as though he had just walked in on two giraffes doing complex arithmetic, rather than his sister and girlfriend laughing over a magazine. The look on his face set the girls off again, and the magazine slid onto the floor, still open on the quiz they had been attempting.

He reached down and looked at it, reading the heading on the page it was opened to. As his eyes scanned the questions, his ears grew redder and redder until he could barely move, and the magazine slipped from his hands. Just as he did so, Harry poked his head around the door frame, and caught the magazine before it hit the floor. Ginny was still marvelling at his seeker skills when she heard him ask the question.

"Erm... Exactly how far have you girls gotten in this Quiz?" He inquired, seemingly casually. Ginny looked up at him, suddenly realising that both Harry and Ron had read the page and were now standing awkwardly in the doorway, not knowing exactly what had been revealed of their relationships.

"Just as far as question... Question nine" Ginny squeaked, though her giggles. Harry looked at question nine, and his face turned red almost immediately. This time he did drop it, leaving Ron scrambling for it on the floor attempting to read the question. He turned quite beetroot when he did and let out a sound which was so funny it set the girls off again.

Harry and Ron mumbled excuses and left the room quickly, avoiding eye contact and not wanting to be embarrassed any further, and the girls eventually got over their fit of giggles.

"So..." Ginny muttered mischievously. "What is the answer Ms. Granger?" Hermione blushed furiously.

"I'll tell if you do. On the count of three okay?" Ginny grinned and winked at her friend.

"One" Hermione sounded nervous as she started the countdown.

"Two" Ginny grinned mischievously.

"THREE" They shouted together, before they both said, simply, the letter "C"

They were both rather pink in the face as they decided to abandon the quiz, and went back to giving each other make-overs.

The boys both looked up startled as they heard two voices downstairs shouting the letter, and avoided each other's gaze for the rest of the night, both highly embarrassed and feeling enthusiastically sorry that they had not stayed in the Leaky Cauldron for one more drink...

* * *

**Quick end note: I am really crappy at titles, so if any of you can think of something slightly more original than "Moving On" For this story, it would be much appreciated... There is virtual chocolate in it for you!**

_my tumblr/twitter details are on my author page if you wish to contact me about anything in this fic, or any other :)_


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I don't think there's anything important you need to know this time... Hope you like the chapter! **

**Disclaimer: None of these characters/this world are mine**

* * *

Harry could use the excuse that when he had declared his desire to marry Ginny the other night, it had been mostly the butterbeer talking, but if he was honest with himself, he realised that he had genuinely meant it. He was honestly surprised that the thought hadn't occurred to him earlier. They had been together for roughly six years by now, albeit with a year apart, and taking things pretty slowly. Really though, the idea of them taking things slowly had been kind of ridiculous. Sure, they had both been sensitive and raw after the war, but, if anything, the war should have made them realise that time was fleeting. Harry had lost count of the number of weddings he had attended in the last five years. There was Roger Davies and Lisa Turpin first; who he had known in passing in Hogwarts and had gotten married hardly a month after the war had ended. Then there was Seamus and Lavender, who had seemed to rush everything about their relationship, as far as Harry could see. Though to look at their happy little family now, with their baby daughter playing in the yard, you would never believe that they were anything but made for each other.

There had been many more, besides. Some of them he knew, some he had hardly met before, and even some he didn't. It seemed that everyone wanted to invite him, the boy who had saved the wizarding world- to thank him, possibly- or maybe it was a status thing? Harry didn't really care either way, if he were honest. He wondered if he would have to invite these people to his wedding, and, for that matter, if he would have to remember all of their names when the time came.

He jerked back to reality when he saw Ginny come back down the stairs, Hermione by her side. He grinned and pecked her on the cheek. Today was her first real training session with the Harpies, and he knew she was nervous. She had refused point-blank to let him come with her, as not only were these "_professional league practices, Harry!" _ But, he knew, she didn't like having people she loved around when she was nervous. Anyone who was on the ground would be a distraction for her, and she would end up overthinking everything. She was better off getting used to the team's dynamic without onlookers. Best to get the fumbling over and done with without an audience, she supposed.

Ginny had made the decision to play Quidditch professionally a year after she had finished school (having been able to get classes privately from some of the former Hogwarts professors). It had come as a shock to everyone that the first team she had tried out for hadn't been the Harpies, but Harry understood. She spent her first two years playing for minor league teams, building up her reputation as a talented player, who deserved a team spot for her talent, and not merely her famous name. She began receiving invitations to play for the bigger teams, and spent a year as a reserve for the Tornadoes (much to her brothers' dismay) before finally making the decision to try out for the team of her dreams. It had been a long road, but everyone agreed that it was the best way. Even someone who had been possessed by the darkest wizard of the last 100 years, at the age of 11, would balk at the idea of going straight to the big league from school.

* * *

As soon as Ginny left for practice, Harry exchanged a meaningful look with Hermione, and gestured that she follow him out into the yard. As soon as he felt that they would not be overheard, he told her about how he had come to decide that he wanted to marry Ginny. Hermione's only response was to laugh. As Harry stood, blinking in confusion, she took pity on him and explained, "Of course you want to marry Ginny! Are you really only realising that now? I was honestly surprised you hadn't asked her sooner." She grinned at him, shaking her head in a bemused sort of way.

"I suppose I shouldn't be though. After all, it did take you until sixth year to realise that she wasn't just Ron's little sister... I swear to god, it's no wonder you two are best friends!" She laughed, and Harry couldn't help but to join her.

"So... Erm... You think I should then? Propose to her, I mean? She..." He fumbled for the words, glad when she seemed to grasp what he meant without having to say it directly.

"Harry. You are probably one of the most romantically dim people I know. Ginny has been in love with you since she was ten years old. She is going to say yes." He let out a sigh of relief, not realising how nervous he had been about that until now. "So do you have any plans on how to ask her yet? Or are you just going to see how it goes, like you usually do?"

"Well... I... Erm... I dunno, really... I just thought... Does it have to be something big, or...?" Hermione smiled gently.

"She'll love it no matter what, Harry. As long as you don't do it in front of Bill or Charlie... Even Ron might get a bit over-protective if you let him too near you, to be honest..." Harry grinned at this, remembering Ron's face when they had first started dating, and silently agreed with her.

"I don't even have a ring yet" He found himself saying, and before he even knew what had happened, Hermione had grabbed his arm and they were in Diagon Alley, outside a jewellery store that Harry hadn't remembered ever noticing before.

"...What are you waiting for!?" Hermione was saying, as he followed her through the door. He stood, looking at a display of earrings and necklaces which seemed to be adorned with real, miniature snitches, which glittered and fluttered against the delicate chains which held them, while Hermione explained to the jeweller what they were here for. The ageing man retreated into the store room to look for rings, and Harry soon discovered that there were more varieties of diamond and precious stones than he had ever imagined.

* * *

An hour and a half later (at least) they emerged back into the bright sunshine of Diagon Alley, having bought what they both agreed was the perfect ring. Simplistic, but not too plain. Beautiful, without being delicate. It was the perfect ring for Ginny. They apparated back to the Burrow, to find that Ginny was still at practice, and Ron had spent the morning gathering up his things to go back to the apartment, and was now waiting for Hermione to do the same. Harry sat in the living room, listening to the wireless, and unable to resist lifting his hand every few minutes to feel the square box which was now tucked into his robe's inside pocket.

Hermione and Ron came in an hour or so later to say goodbye, before flooing to their apartment with their bags. He was left by himself, imagining every possible scenario in which he could propose to her. It was only when he heard Molly and Arthur coming in the door - they had probably been for a walk into the village - that the Idea came to him. He grinned and stood to talk to them. He was going to do this properly, even if it meant having a very awkward conversation which, no doubt, would leave him being smothered in hugs by his future mother in law, who would almost definitely be at least tearing up, and exchanging slightly bemused smiles with her husband.

It was strange, when he thought about it. Usually people were uncomfortable, if not downright scared, when talking to their future in-laws. It was completely understandable- these are the people who raised the person you love. They are the reason you have what you have, and they also have the power to make or break you and your loved one's happiness. Harry understood why most people wouldn't want to spend all that much time with their in-laws, but he also knew that that would never be him. For as long as he knew, Molly and Arthur had been the closest thing to functioning parents Harry had, and in his mind- and apparently in theirs, too, if their reaction was anything to go by- it was about time that they made it official.

They quickly recovered themselves when they heard Ginny come in from practice. Her hair was dishevelled and she had the tiniest smudge of mud on her jaw, and the sight of her in clean robes (she had obviously changed before leaving the training grounds) and grinning from ear to ear, as a sign of a well executed session, had Harry not-quite resisting the urge to stand up and pull her into a kiss. A pink tinge appeared on her cheeks at having this display in front of her parents, but they only smiled warmly, and asked her how it had gone.

After giving a detailed play-by-play of every technique she had learned, Ginny announced that she was going up to have a bath, and left the room. Harry sat, feeling overwhelmingly in love, and like the cheesiest rom-com you could think of, he followed her up the stairs. Thank God Ron wasn't around to see him today- he doubted he would ever hear the end of it if he was.

* * *

That night, they lay curled up together on Ginny's childhood bed, surrounded by memories of Hogwarts Letters, and Gryffindor colours, and stolen kisses interrupted my nosy brothers, and Harry showed Ginny just how proud he was of her with gentle kisses and a loving caress.

They fell asleep in each other's arms, and made plans to finally move into the new apartment the following day. Never before had Harry felt as though there was nothing in his life that he would have changed, had he the power to. Not if any of those changes had meant that he wouldn't end up exactly where he was now, with this wonderful woman curled up beside him. For the first time in his life, he felt utterly contented, and didn't have a single care in the world.


End file.
